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Latest TCC News:
JULY 2, 2009
Action Alert: Advocate for Health Care Reform and Be a Faithful Citizen for Independence Day!
We urge you to contact your member of congress to ask for their support of Healthcare Reform that respects the life and dignity of every person at every age and stage. For more information, see the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops' Action Alert or the Texas Catholic Conference Action Alert.
Please act by: July 10, 2009
JUNE 26, 2009
Outcomes of TCC Legislative Activity
Now that the veto period of the 81st Regular Session of the Texas Legislature has expired, we have completed our review of the legislative session. We have completed three documents which review our outcomes, an executive summary, a full review and a budget review for our priorities.
Click the following links to open a PDF of the documents. You can also access them at the links at our 81st Regular Legislation Session page.
Executive Summary - Outcomes of the 81st Session (PDF)
Full Review of Outcomes of the 81st Session (PDF)
Budget Analysis of TCC Priority Items (PDF)
JUNE 25, 2009
Ask Governor Perry to Include Choose Life License Plates and CHIP in Agenda for Special Session
Governor Perry has called for a special session that will begin on July 1, 2009. Call Governor Perry today toll-free at 1.888.746.9714 and ask him to include Choose Life License Plates and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) on the agenda. Read more.
JUNE 25, 2009
Texas Groups Sign Open Letter to Governor Perry Demanding Inclusion of Children's Health Insurance Bill on Special Session Agenda
The Texas Catholic Conference, along with a broad coalition of agencies across the state signed an open letter to Governor Rick Perry demanding that he include the overwhelmingly popular bipartisan children's health insurance bill on the agenda for a Special Session. The letter notes that with the call of a Special Session, Texas regains the opportunity to finish a critical piece of unfinished state business: providing 80,000 uninsured children in hard-working Texas families access to affordable health care. Signers of the letter represent hundreds of thousands of Texans across the state, including the Texas Medical Association, Texas Hospital Association, Texas Catholic Conference, League of Women Voters of Texas, and numerous others. A similar letter is being circulated by state legislators and has gained considerable support. Read more.
JUNE 22, 2009
Governor Vetoes 2 TCC-Supported Bills
The Texas Catholic Conference is disappointed that Governor Perry vetoed 2 TCC-Supported Bills last week - bills that would have improved pre-kindergarten in Texas (HB 130) and also offered some correctional officers the option to participate in a loan repayment programs (HB 518).
Sunday, June 21, was the last day for Governor Perry to veto bills, so we do celebrate the passage of 23 bills that we supported this session. While several of these gains were in the areas of education and criminal justice reform, we plan to continue to advocate for improvements to pre-kindergarten programs and for efforts to recruit and retain correctional officers for our state criminal justice system. Later this week we will post a detailed analysis of all of our legislative session outcomes.
Vetoed Bills:
HB 130 - This bill extends pre-kindergarten programs to a full day and among other enhancements sets limits on class size.
HB 518 - This bill allows for the creation of a pilot program to provide student loan repayment assistance to certain correctional officers.
JUNE 12, 2009
 Pope Names Bishop Gregory Aymond as Archbishop of New Orleans
Pope Benedict XVI has named Bishop Gregory Aymond of Austin, Texas, 59, as Archbishop of New Orleans.
"This appointment by the Holy Father is good news for the Archdiocese of New Orleans and for the Archbishop-designate," said Bishop Raymundo J. Peña, Bishop of the Diocese of Brownsville. Read more.
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